After repelling the raiders, Lin Fan didn't dare to relax. He knew that the Martian night was far more perilous than its day. He quickly inventoried his spoils, stowing away useful supplies, then, guided by the system and the map, he pressed on towards the ruin marked as the "Ancient Civilization Energy Hub."
Under the cloak of night, the Martian wasteland howled with cold winds, and red dust swirled like countless specters. Lin Fan gripped the metal pipe in his hand, his senses acutely aware of his surroundings. His perception, sharpened by the Origin Energy, could now clearly pick up the subtle shifts in the wind and the distant growls of mutated creatures.
About an hour later, Lin Fan arrived at an area encircled by colossal rocks. Between two towering monoliths, a half-buried cave entrance appeared. Ancient runes, faintly glowing with a soft blue light, shimmered above the opening, perfectly matching the system's alert of a "high-concentration Origin Energy reaction."
[Host has arrived at the Ancient Civilization Energy Hub.]
The system's prompt echoed once more. Lin Fan took a deep breath, cautiously stepping into the cave. Inside, it wasn't the darkness he expected, but a soft, phosphorescent glow. The walls were adorned with intricate murals, depicting the rise and fall of Mars' ancient civilization, alongside mysterious creatures he couldn't comprehend.
As he ventured deeper, Lin Fan felt the Origin Energy concentration in the air intensify, and his body hummed with an almost euphoric excitement. He could even hear the flow of Origin Energy within his own bloodstream. Finally, he reached a vast circular chamber. In its center, a colossal energy device stood silently, composed of countless complex runes and crystals, radiating a heart-stopping energy fluctuation.
At the apex of the energy device, a fist-sized crystal hovered, shimmering with iridescent light. It seemed to be the core of the entire chamber's energy, pulsating like a beating heart, each flicker sending a tremor through Lin Fan's very soul.
[Detected Heart of Mars, core energy carrier of ancient civilization. Integrate?]
The system's prompt carried an unprecedented urgency. Lin Fan didn't hesitate: "Integrate!"
He knew this was his chance to grow stronger, his only hope for survival in this desperate place.
The moment Lin Fan reached out and touched the crystal, an indescribably vast surge of energy flooded into his body. It felt like billions of tons of floodwater breaching a dam, tearing violently through his very being. The excruciating pain nearly rendered him unconscious, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to utter a sound.
[Warning! Energy overload! Host's physical structure on the verge of collapse!]
[System is urgently optimizing integration path…]
Lin Fan's body began to tremble uncontrollably, his skin covered in a dense network of blood vessels, his bones emitting a grating, sickening crunch. He could feel his consciousness being battered by this wild energy, as if it were about to be ripped apart completely.
Just as he thought he was about to die, the system prompted again:
[Integration path optimization complete.]
[Genetic modification module initiated…]
[Physical reconstruction in progress…]
A cool energy flowed from deep within the system, balancing the raging power of the Heart of Mars. Lin Fan's body was pulled back and forth between agony and repair, each cycle making him stronger. His muscles grew denser, his bones harder, and even his cells seemed to undergo a deeper evolution.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but when all the pain finally receded, Lin Fan found himself lying on the cold chamber floor, drenched in sweat, yet filled with an unprecedented sense of power.
[Heart of Mars integrated.]
[Physical Grade increased: D-Grade]
[Origin Energy Level increased: LV3]
[Active Skill Unlocked: Origin Shockwave (Consumes Origin Energy to unleash a high-energy shockwave forward)]
[System Modules Upgraded: Genetic Modification (Basic), Tech Analysis (Basic)]
Lin Fan slowly rose, clenching his fist, feeling the surging power within. A faint pop echoed in the air. He tentatively channeled Origin Energy, and a blue light coalesced in his palm before shooting forward, slamming into the distant wall and leaving a deep indentation.
"This… this is power," Lin Fan murmured, his eyes gleaming with exhilaration.
He looked back at the central energy device. The system indicated it had lost its core energy but still contained a wealth of ancient civilization tech information. Lin Fan knew this would be crucial for his future development.
Stepping out of the ruins, the Martian night sky remained profound. But Lin Fan's state of mind was entirely different. He was no longer the lost, helpless Earthling, but a powerful being on the Martian wasteland, armed with a system, integrated with the Heart of Mars, and significantly stronger.
In the distance, faint specks of light were visible on the horizon—the direction of a Martian human settlement. Lin Fan knew that hope for survival lay there, along with more challenges and secrets awaiting him.
He began to walk towards that light, each step firm and powerful, as if the entire Mars trembled beneath his feet. A new journey had just begun!
(End of Chapter 3)